Couple seized in Jolo; teenager freed in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – A Batangeño merchant and his wife were seized by armed men from their boarding house in Jolo, Sulu Wednesday, while suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front freed a teenager they had held captive for almost two months in Basilan, authorities said yesterday.

The kidnap victims were identified as a certain Patronal, about 50 years old, and his wife Jocelyn, in her 30s, engaged in selling foam and appliances and a lending business in Jolo, said Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command.

Reports reaching Camp Crame yesterday though identified the couple as Jose and Rosely Batronel and said that their housemaid, a certain Julie Latorre, 21, was seized, too.

Cabangbang said five young men, who were fully armed, barged into the couple’s boarding house beside the National Power Corp. building in Barangay Busbus, Jolo town at around 8:38 p.m. Wednesday. The armed men fled with the couple onboard red Tamaraw.

Cabangbang said police and Marine units have been tracking down the kidnappers.

The abduction has shattered anew the peace in Sulu where government forces have yet to recover at least six other hostages separately snatched by the Abu Sayyaf.

The hostages are Indian national Biju Kollaraveettil, Malaysian Mohammad Nazaruddin Saiddin, Filipino-Chinese Nelson Lim, and fishing boat crewmembers Renato Panisales, Wennie Ferrer, and Jonald Ocsimar. 

In Basilan, meanwhile, kidnap victim Nico Sebastian, 19, was released at the boundary of Akbar and Tuburan towns at around 6 p.m. Wednesday, said Senior Superintendent Alex Linesis, Basilan police director.

There was no immediate word if ransom was paid for the release of Sebastian, who is now undergoing police debriefing.

According to earlier reports though, Sebastian’s kidnappers led by MILF leader Arasad Jion had demanded P2.5 million and warned that they would harm the teenager if his family failed to shell out the amount.

Sebastian went missing after he was invited by a certain Nadsmir Abubakar for a billiard game in Lamitan City, Basilan’s capital, last May 16. – Roel Pareño, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jaime Laude